There are electronic ballasts with a large number of levels of complexity. Often, electronic ballasts have a microcontroller. In the case of such electronic ballasts, configurations are known which make it possible to dim the discharge lamp. The dimming function is controlled via a two-core control cable and a dimming potentiometer. Electronic ballasts can also include, instead of a microcontroller, a control ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). Such electronic ballasts are less complex. Until now, no electronic ballasts for discharge lamps with control ASIC have been known in which the dimming of the discharge lamp is controlled in another way than via a complex circuit with a dimming potentiometer.